Alex Iwobi is one of the undisputed stars of Nigerian football, but the 25 year old could have a fight on his hands.
This is because his club team, Everton, have just signed two players that would be expected to operate in positions very familiar to Iwobi.
Plus with the arrival of Rafa Benitez as the new Everton manager, it remains to be seen where Iwobi will fit in the new look Everton.
Will Iwobi thrive under Benitez?
The arrival of Benitez at Everton is undoubtedly one of the most controversial managerial moves of recent times.
After all, the Spanish manager was once at the helm of their Merseyside rivals Liverpool, and once made a few disparaging remarks about Everton being a ‘small’ team.
However, Benitez is a proven silverware winner, and hopes will be high that he can maintain Everton’s upward trajectory.
As such, it is little surprise that some of Benitez’ first moves were to bring in some fresh new talent into the Everton ranks.
The first transfer was that of Andros Townsend from Crystal Palace. The 30-year old has shown plenty of explosive power during his time at Palace and his experience will be called upon to strengthen the new Everton team.
Townsend previously worked well with Benitez during his tenure at Newcastle United and he showed great form in Everton’s warm-up game against Millonarios.
While Townsend provides plenty of experience, all eyes will be on Demarai Gray who will be keen to impress following his £1.7 million transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
The 25-year old struggled for game time in recent years at Leicester City, and he’ll be keen to make a big impression in his second chance at Premier League football.
All of this leaves Iwobi with plenty of competition regarding his place in first-team football. The good news is that these signings are the kind that will get Everton up in the bookmakers odds at wetten.com and this must ultimately help Iwobi raise his game even further.
Time of transition for Iwobi
Iwobi came to Goodison Park following a fairly high profile transfer from Arsenal. While the move didn’t immediately work in his favour, he gradually became regarded as an important part of the Everton squad.
The 25-year old made 30 appearances for Everton in their 2020/21 campaign. Former boss Carlo Ancelotti clearly appreciated the versatility in Iwobi’s game.
This could be seen in the fact that Iwobi looked equally confident as a winger as he did as a full-back when Everton were in the midst of an injury crisis.
While Iwobi may lack obvious defensive qualities, his willingness and adaptability will boost his case for inclusion in a Benitez Everton team. Much will depend on how Iwobi makes his game more consistent.
While he shows flashes of brilliance in one-on-one situations, the winger will need much more to become a lynchpin of the new-look Everton team.
It’s also a time of transition for Everton. Big signings like that of James Rodriguez last season certainly gave the Merseyside team a big confidence boost that sadly faltered towards the end of the season.
While Dominic Calvert-Lewin managed to show no shortage of goalscoring prowess, there was an alarming dip in the form of the fiery Brazilian star Richarlison.
Much will depend on how Benitez gets the new recruits at Everton to gel with the pre-existing squad. Plus it looks like the tug-of-war between Everton and Paris Saint Germain over Moise Kean is set to continue.
If the talented striker ends up staying at Goodison Park, then Benitez would be blessed with a formidable attacking line.
While there are still big questions about Everton’s defensive prowess, the return to form of Jordan Pickford at the back should provide plenty of confidence for the Premier League season opener against Southampton on 14 August.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
Photo Credit : evertonfc.com
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